Brigadier General Mohamad-Hassan Rajabi has been quoted as saying: "Having agents enter homes and seize satellite dishes is not an appropriate method to combat this matter."

In a report by IRNA (the Islamic Republic News Agency), Rajabi adds: "Basiji agents entering houses in order to gather satellite dishes is not the right way. Instead, there must first be a warning, then people should be educated."

"We do not like the seizure operations in this region and we believe that they will not produce results," he said.

"We must act in such a way that the people voluntarily forgo the use of satellite dishes," Rajabi said.

Iranian security forces sometimes raid homes and other buildings to confiscate satellite dishes, a practice that has often been criticized by more progressive forces.